San Francisco Jazz Collective

The SFJAZZ Collective is a jazz ensemble comprising eight performer/composers, launched in 2004 by SFJAZZ, a West Coast non-profit jazz institution and the presenter of the annual San Francisco Jazz Festival, with funding from the James Irvine Foundatio...

The SFJAZZ Collective is a jazz ensemble comprising eight performer/composers, launched in 2004 by SFJAZZ, a West Coast non-profit jazz institution and the presenter of the annual San Francisco Jazz Festival, with funding from the James Irvine Foundation.

Collective activities

The SFJAZZ Collective performs a new repertoire each year, one that balances the works of a great modern jazz composer from the post-1960 era and eight new compositions (commissioned by SFJAZZ), one from each band member. To date, the composers of focus have been Ornette Coleman (2004), John Coltrane (2005), Herbie Hancock (2006), Thelonious Monk (2007), Wayne Shorter (2008), McCoy Tyner (2009), Horace Silver (2010), Stevie Wonder (2011) and Chick Corea (2012).

The SFJAZZ Collective convenes in San Francisco each spring for a three-week residency. Throughout this rehearsal period the octet workshops the season's new repertoire and interacts with the Bay Area community through SFJAZZ's education programs for youth and adults.